City of Desire [Kingdom Building]

Chapter 226: Cath

As the door closed, I slumped on my chair and rested for a few minutes.
 
I was about to open my eyes when I decided to do something. 
 
I noticed it last night and wanted to check it out in the morning. This is the best time to do it, before the establishment opens for the day.
 
I focused and immediately the feeling began to get clearer.
 
I could tell that it had become faintly stronger than the morning yesterday when I had performed the ritual.
 
Caena said, the more powerful the feeling is, the more powerful the charms would become.
 
A minute later, I stopped and focused on the papers in front of me.
 
“Master Silver, Madam Caena, and Headmistress Margaux are here for you,” the voice said through the intercom.
 
Click!
 
“Send her in,” I said, and a second later, the door opened, with Caena and Margaux coming inside.
 
“Master Silver,” they greeted, “Caena, Margaux, take a seat.” I offered them the seats.
 
“Thank you, Master Silver,” they thanked as they sat down, putting a file in front of me.
 
“How are things?” I asked. 
 
“Good. The establishment has been cleaned, and currently, the staff is busy setting up the tables and making preparations for the opening,” Caena replied.
 
It was nearly eleven; I had slept after the establishment closed, and because of that, woke up late.
 
Earlier, our plan was to open the establishment at nine in the morning, but after consulting with girls and a few trusted friends like Valentina, while also doing some research. 
 
I decided to open at twelve; it is perfect timing.
 
It is a time for lunch and also late enough that people can drink and enjoy the company of the girls.
 
I am not aiming for perfect occupancy during the day. It is not a realistic goal, but like to have 75% at a restaurant, between twelve to two, and 60% at above floors, between twelve to five.
 
I am not going to use all girls; just around a hundred. Like the night, it will be a mix of old and new.
 
It is why only two floors are going to be used. The top floor and the third floor; I am not going to use the second floor, which is the biggest of the three.
 
However, these changes are not permanent. I will make changes if I feel the need for it after my observation.
 
I nodded and turned to Margaux.
 
“The girls are doing great. I had nine girls coming to me for the private room,” she informed, and a surprise couldn’t help but appear on my face before turning to smile.
 
Them asking for the private rooms only means one thing. They have breached the Capstone and reached Lv. 20 and above.
 
The numbers of such girls are steadily rising. 
 
They had slowed down in the past month and even there, two girls had somehow reached Lv. 20.
 
“I think this month, we will reach the century,” said Caena and Margaux, nodding with a smile.
 
“How both of you are feeling with your new responsibilities?” I asked them. 
 
“I am far more relaxed than before,” said Margaux. “I am a little stressed, but it is because, of the first day, it will be more relaxing after I get used to it,” she answered.
 
“It might, but both of you need help,” I said. “Have you prepared the list?” I asked. They nodded and pushed a list toward me.
 
I looked at the thirty-two names, which I will interview for the five positions.
I need more girls in leadership. Caena and three assistant madams aren’t enough to manage the establishment and the same will happen for the circle, if more girls come.
 
It is not just that; I don’t want these, and two others worked to death. They need time for classes and for personal needs. Work should be part of the life, not life itself.
 
“I will begin the interview at two,” I said and picked up the file that Caena had put in front of me.
 
I couldn’t help but feel excitement as I opened it and began to read, and the reading was faster. Insightful Reading has become powerful, and it is not just the attribute point, that did it.
 
It is also because my primary class had reached Lv. 21, breaching the capstone.
 
Insightful Reading is not the skill of the Agent of Experience, but it still affects it. 
 
The attributes didn’t have a set value; their value depended on classes. It is why Lv. 10 Lord is far more powerful than Lv. 10 Warrior; the former could handily beat the latter.
 
Because the Lord Class had much greater weight and it reflected on the attributes.
 
All classes put their weight on the attributes, but it is the primary class that puts the most. If a primary class is powerful, then it puts all the weight of it on the attributes.
 
It is because of this that the secondary class becomes more powerful than the primary. The fight for dominance occurs.
 
It is not just the levels that need to be greater, but also the weight of class.
 
If one had Warrior Class as their primary class, which is at Lv. 10, and have Lord Class as their secondary class, which is at Lv. 5.
 
The Lord Class will have a greater weight and thus interfere in the leadership of primary classes. Slowing down, leveling, and sometimes, they even reduce the power of primary classes, if the secondary class is especially powerful.
 
What I mean by saying is primary class should be higher leveled and have more weight.
 
Thankfully, I am safe in that.
 
Agent of Experience is higher leveled and has more weight. There was no problem when the Agent of Experience and the Masterful Administrator were at the same level.
 
I pushed those thoughts of classes away and focused back on the exciting numbers in front of me, written in beautiful handwriting. It was not this good when I saw it yesterday.
 
It seemed like she had received a skill; such change could only have appeared through the skill.
 
I finished the file fairly quickly and tried hard to hold back from the big smile appearing on my face. 
 
The numbers are better than I had imagined; not just for the three floors but for the restaurant too and that is after we gave a huge opening day discount.
 
Seeing the numbers, I could feel the plans materializing in front of me. Those plans will require a lot of money and while I am earning a lot through the liquor business, I want the establishment to do its part, too.
 
If the last night's numbers are anything, the establishment would do great.
 
“We will put them in the records, but will not consider them when we make future plans,”
 
“We will consider, what we earned from today,” I said and both of them nodded. The daily earnings report will calculate our earnings from 12 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next day. 
 
They left soon after, and I turned to Zela. There were many messages waiting for me.
 
I do not have to go anywhere for the rest of the day. I have taken, leave from my duties in the city.
 
Today is the last day of that. Tomorrow I will go back to the Count.
 
Though, I will have to attend the part at Mr. Carlson’s. That man had postponed his son’s birthday for me, and I will be attending despite not wanting to go.
 
Soon it was twelve, and the gate opened, and quite a lot of carriages entered inside.
 
It surprised me. 
 
While their numbers are not as much as what came at night, it was still surprising for the first minute in the afternoon.
 
I watched them for a few minutes before sitting back on my desk and opening the files on the girls. I have to go over the information, I have on the thirty-two. It is the only way I will be effectively able to interview them.
 
…
 
Cath
 
“I am worried; I hope it goes well,” I said, feeling very nervous. I had failed once before, and I don’t want to fail again, or I might not get this opportunity again.
 
I had given an interview before, and it had gone really well. I thought I would get the job. Instead, it was Jenna and Danielle who did.
 
I want to get it this time.
 
“It will be, don’t worry,” said Barb, with the faint smell of whisky coming from her.
 
I don’t like the smell of liquor, but the one coming from Barb isn’t a smell, but a fragrance. Barb had a passive skill, that made the smell of alcohol coming from her feel like perfume.
 
“Aren’t you worried?” I asked. The older woman’s face turned a little serious before a small smile appeared on it. 
 
“A little, but not as much as you, or that little girl over there,” she said, pointing at the teen, who was walking nervously and even got herself wet accidentally from the shower coming from above.
 
“It is quite surprising that a young girl is chosen for the interview,” I said, looking at Gloria.
 
She is only seventeen but worked in business since she was thirteen. Despite experiencing the horrible things about this business, she still maintained her innocence.
 
“She is young, but the girl is wise beyond her years and quite talented,” said Barb, before turning to me. “You are also very good. So, don’t doubt yourself too much,” she added, pressing my hands with her.
 
I felt myself calm down a little and a few minutes later, I walked into my room.
 
I had a personal room for months. I was the first person to reach Lv. 20 and got my room. Which I love dearly; one month in the mansion where I needed to share a room had been hell.
 
It is not like my roommate was bad, but both of us had grown used to our personal space, and living together was difficult.
 
I don’t want to experience that again.
 
If get selected today, then I won’t have to, even if we somehow shifted to the mansion for a reason. 
 
Madam and assistant madam’s get suits and offices. I want them; I have dreamed about them many times.
 
I didn’t stay in my room for long. I changed and walked out after picking up my kit. There are two hours before the interview, and I don’t think I will be able to remain calm till then.
 
So, I am going to a place which calmed me down.
 
Click!
 
I got out of the elevator and went to the basement and soon reached the place where I wanted to.
 
Pottery workshop.
 
There are already several girls here practicing. I nodded at those who looked at me and wore an apron, before setting the things by the wheel.
 
“Let’s begin,” I said and started.
 
Pottery is one of the most liked things that girls choose. It is fun and relaxing and also helps them make money.
 
Master Silver had set us up with a merchant who buys our wares. I have been earning a good amount of money from it for months.
 
While it couldn’t be compared to what I earn in the establishment. It is enough to make a good living if I ever felt like leaving the business, which I don’t plan to do.
 
At least, not in the near future; I might in a few years, but nothing is certain.
 
Nearly one and a half hours passed when I stopped and placed my work in the kiln before leaving.
 
Soon, I reached my room, showered, and readied myself for the interview.
 
“Ready girls?” asked Della to the eight of us who were gathered. The interview will happen in batches of eight and I am part of the first batch.
 
All the girls are familiar, but I am glad Barb is here. 
 
“Good, let’s go then,” she said as we nodded and opened the gate of the tunnel. Yes, there is a tunnel, it will directly lead us to the establishment's entrance.
 
Within three minutes, we reached the establishment’s basement before taking the secret stairs to the top floor and soon, we were in the small waiting room by the Master Silvers office.
 
“Madam Della, Master Silver is ready,” informed Jill from her desk. Della nodded and turned to us.
 
“Cath, you are first,” said Della, surprising me.
 
However, I quickly composed my emotions and got up before walking toward the room with the hope that I would get the job.

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